


Fear Makes Strangers

by ShadeOfAzmeinya



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Minecraft, Jealous Jack, M/M, Misunderstandings, Prompt Fill, RageHappy, minecraft au, not really shippy but whatever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-23 00:44:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7459986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadeOfAzmeinya/pseuds/ShadeOfAzmeinya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They had been living in their little slice of paradise called Achievement City for years before Ryan appeared, completely disrupting everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fear Makes Strangers

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from anon: ryack minecraft AU where they are rivals who end up in a dangerous situation. ryan takes a hit for jack & makes a pre-death confession, but then he ends up surviving and then it's just awkward. angsty but with a happy ending?
> 
> Title taken from quote: "Fear makes strangers out of people who would be friends."

They had been living in their little slice of paradise called Achievement City for years before Ryan appeared, completely disrupting everything.

First it was Jack and Geoff, wandering for a place to call their own. They were all they had and they were fine with that. All they needed was each other. But they wanted a place to call their own as well. A home to come back to; a place to build safety and security. So that’s what they set out to do all those years ago. Picked up from where they were living, now just a faint memory, and set out into the world with a hope in their hearts and destiny in their palms.

It was during those wanderings when they discovered a boy lost in the wild wearing cloth made of creeper skin. At first he was thought to be a threat, Jack and Geoff raising their weapons against the boy, but that was quickly dropped when the lad tripped over his own feet running away from them. Gavin ended up latching onto Jack and Geoff quickly, and they latched onto him too. The duet became a trio as they explored the world together. Though, not long after Gavin became part of their group, they had found a place to settle and started building houses.

They had only lived there a few months when Michael and Ray appeared, running out of the dense forest during the night fighting for their lives, zombies and skeletons trailing after them. The trio quickly granted the pair safety in their makeshift village, originally planning on them leaving in the morning, but they haven’t left since.

The group worked in surprising harmony despite all the stubborn assholes that it was made up of. They’ve managed to build not only all their houses in the city, but stables, farms, and fishing docks as well. They’ve managed to create a system of being able to get work done yet goof off with each other the entire time as well. They became a weird family of misfits not only surviving in this world, but thriving as well.

And then Ryan arrived. 

It was Gavin who found him first. Jack was working fields that day, picking his way carefully through the wheat. He saw Gavin coming back from the forest where he was sent to gather wood. Alone. Except now he wasn’t exiting as alone as he entered. Jack’s eyebrows narrow with a mix of curiosity and caution.

“Jack!” Gavin called out excitedly as he approached with the stranger by his side. “Jack I found someone!”

Gavin bouncing around on his toes put some ease of mind to Jack as he stepped out of the field and approached them. Whoever this was, Gavin was excited about them. So hopefully that meant they weren’t a threat. But Jack wasn’t about to throw all caution to the wind.

“Where?” Jack asked.

“He was is the woods just walking around! Looking really bloody lost.”

The stranger gave a sheepish smile. His clothes were torn and dirty, looking like he’s been wearing them for a long time. But the clothes look like they were once noble, the dress shirt most definitely made of some expensive silk and a belt that definitely looked like it was made with gold. This was the first thing to draw Jack’s suspicion. Whoever this was, he was once rich. And rich people don’t really end up stranded in the middle of the forest like this. The stranger was also well built, tall and muscular, if a little thin. His blonde hair ragged, but still looked soft.

“His name is Ryan,” Gavin said, still grinning from ear to ear.

“Well hello there Ryan, I’m Jack,” Jack said, sticking out his arm to shake. Ryan hesitated a moment, glancing to Gavin then back to Jack before shaking his hand.

“Nice to meet you,” Ryan said.

“I told Ryan he could come with me back to Achievement City!” Gavin said, already starting to lead the way back.

“I’ll join you,” Jack said, gathering up the wheat he’s been picking. He felt the sudden need to stick with Gavin and Ryan, least anything happen.

The three of them walked back, Gavin leading the conversation in explaining everything he could about Achievement City. Jack couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pride as Gavin went on about how large they were able to build Geoff’s house or how they managed to put Gavin’s house in the side of the hill. Gavin somehow even made Ray’s house exciting, despite the fact that it was made entirely of packed dirt.

Ryan just politely nodded along the whole time, never saying much. As they walked, Jack noticed how little Ryan had on him. He had a small bag and a sword at his side. The hilt of the sword was intricate, much fancier than he’s ever seen. A symbol of a skull was etched into the pommel. The bag he had on him was much too small to carry much. Maybe some food. Much less then one should have if they were trying to survive in the wild. Wherever Ryan was from it seemed he left in a hurry and left with too little stuff or has managed to loose whatever more he had.

When they finally arrived back at the city Ryan was quickly introduced to the rest of the crew. Geoff was defensive at first, spending more time glaring at Ryan than talking to him, but as imposing as the man’s stature was, he wasn’t all that threatening. Not that Jack was willing to trust the man completely either.

Ryan spent the night in an extra bed they had in the supply shed. As nice and polite as the man had been, no one was going to completely trust him to be near them as they slept alone and vulnerable in their own beds. Ok so maybe it had been Jack’s suggestion, whispered to Geoff as the lads showed Ryan around. But Geoff was quick to agree.

It was a surprise to Jack when Ryan was still around the next day. And the next day and the next. At first Jack didn’t really mind. Maybe he just needed a place to stay until he got his things in order. And it was nice to have an extra hand around the place. Ryan proved himself a hard worker, even if they had to explain how to do everything to him. It became pretty apparent that he had never learned to mine, farm, or even handle animals. Jack’s suspicion was never lifted around Ryan this whole time though.

The next rise of suspicion was when Jack discovered Ray and Ryan making potions. Jack had no idea Ray even knew about potions. Jack walked into the storage space under Geoff’s house to find the two laughing and joking over a brewing stand Jack didn’t even know they had.

“What’s going on?” Jack said as he observed the pair. 

“Hey Jack. Ryan was showing me some cool potions he knew how to make. I didn’t even know about potions of night vision. Who knew we had enough in here to make it already,” Ray said, taking a potion off the stand and observing it.

“I didn’t know you knew about potions,” Jack said to Ray.

“Yeah I’ve picked up on a thing or two where I’m from,” Ray said. Jack stared for a moment. He can’t remember Ray ever even mentioning where he’s from before. It was always seemed like a sore subject for the lad, so he never talked about it and everyone was fine with that. But apparently Ryan gets to learn Ray knew potions from his past.

“You still remember a lot of it,” Ryan said to Ray. “To be fair, not a lot of people would think to make a carrot golden let alone use it in a potion, so its not surprising you’ve never discovered a potion of night vision. I don’t even know what the person who first made it was thinking.”

Ray and Ryan both laughed at that and Jack was left feeling like an outsider for the first time in his own city. He left the pair as they laughed and worked. His suspicions tighten as he climbed the ladder back outside, completely forgetting what he even went down for. How did Ryan even learn this much about potions? Where was Ryan from?

The next time Jack was suspicious was when Jack found Michael and Ryan practicing sword fighting first thing in the morning. Michael was always the best warrior of the bunch of them, having both great strength and sword skills. Yet Ryan was matching Michael nearly blow for blow. Michael’s diamond sword clashed with Ryan’s bright gold one, the noise echoing throughout the buildings. How had Ryan even managed to get a gold sword?

In the end Michael was still able to overpower Ryan, throwing him to the ground and pining him. Michael and Ryan both put their swords away and laughed with each other when they were finished.

“Dude, that was a great fight! I haven’t had anyone to spar with here like that. How did you learn to fight like that?” Michael grinned.

“I’ve had training since when I was a kid,” Ryan responded, grinning just as much. “Where did YOU learn to fight like that?”

“I was training as a knight since I was a kid as well. And all that time with just Ray and I in the wild. You learn to fight pretty well when facing monsters nearly every night.”

Jack huffed and walked away from where he was listening to the whole conversation. It was no secret of Michael’s that he trained as a knight. Everyone here knew it and he’d often tell tales of shenanigans he’d get into with fellow knights. But he didn’t expect Ryan to know sword training like that as well. Having his be nearly as powerful as Michael was concerning to say the least. Jack was staring to see Ryan as more and more of a threat. He didn’t like having someone he didn’t know so well as being so powerful.

Jack found himself avoiding Ryan as much as possible after that. He still kept a very careful eye out for him, an even more careful eye out for his family. He started noticing just how much close everyone seemed to be getting with Ryan. They were always with him, laughing and joking. Even at stuff they should be finding concerning. Like when Ryan managed to get a cow in a big hole in the ground. Ryan claimed the cow just wandered into a hole that was already there. But Jack’s pretty sure Ryan made that hole and put it in. He has no idea why he did it and he doesn’t want to think about what the fuck Ryan could be doing with having a cow in the hole.

The worst person getting close to Ryan, though, was Gavin. Gavin who took so long to even get comfortable around Jack and Geoff when they first found him. Who had avoided Michael and Ray like a plague when they arrived, to the point where neither had even seen him until they had both been there a week.

But here Gavin had seemed to befriend Ryan the fastest. He was constantly bothering Ryan with annoying questions that Ryan, to Jack’s never-ending frustration, would answer them with serious and long thought. Gavin was constantly messing around with Ryan and Ryan would just laugh and play along. Gavin had no hesitation with befriending Ryan and Jack hated it. How had Ryan so easily wrapped Gavin around his finger?

Jack broke one night sitting with Geoff in his giant house and started complaining about every suspicion he had of Ryan.

“I just don’t get what the lads see in him!” Jack said, throwing his hands up in frustration. “He could be dangerous! None of us know anything about him! He’s running from something, and he clearly knows a lot about fighting and potions. He could be a huge threat! The lads need to see that!" 

Geoff just gave him a confused look and shook his head. “Really Jack? Ryan’s a huge fucking softy. Its true we don’t know where he’s from or what he’s running from, if he’s even running from something, but we didn’t know much about any of the others either! You were fine with them. Ryan’s harmless, I’m telling you. He’s been nothing but helpful. Plus he’s funny as shit once you get past his creepy jokes.”

Jack’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “Not you too!” Jack accused. “What is with you people! He’s a threat! Don’t you care about everything we’ve built here! There could be people looking for him and they could destroy everything! He could just choose to destroy everything! He could kill us!”

“Jack you need to fucking calm down. Has Ryan done even anything threatening?” 

“Well, no but-“ 

“No! He hasn’t! Maybe you just need to try and get to know the guy! He’s not a threat,” Geoff said, folding his arms. 

“I don’t need to ‘get to know him’, I can tell plenty just by watching him!”

Geoff sighed. “How about this: You go on mining duty with Ryan tomorrow. If he attacks you, you let me know.”

Jack rolled his eyes then stormed out. If Geoff wasn’t going to listen to him, there was nothing he could do to convince him. He was just going to have to wait and see. And when Ryan finally snapped and showed how dangerous he was, then they’ll see. They’ll all see.

The next morning, true to his word, Geoff sent Jack and Ryan on mining duty alone. Jack glared and flipped Geoff off when they left.

The whole walk there was silent, Jack not responding to Ryan’s polite attempts at conversation. The silence lasted until they reached the front of the cave.

“Why do you hate me?” Ryan said suddenly, his voice filled with genuine concern.

“I don’t hate you,” Jack started.

“Yeah you do, I see you glaring at me all the time. I just want to know what I did. I’m sorry for whatever it was.”

“I just don’t trust you,” Jack snapped and walked ahead, entering the mine.

“What?” Ryan said as he followed him inside. “What did I do? I’m sorry-“

“Why are you here?” Jack said, interrupting the other. 

“Because Geoff said to mine…”

“No, I mean why are you in Achievement City? Why did you come to us?”

“I just found you. I just walked and walked until I found _people._ People just happened to be you.”

Jack shook his head, not buying the answer.

“What do you think I did? I purposely looked this tiny little village with five total people? What would be the point of doing that? If I was looking for people I could’ve went to any number of villages I knew that had plenty of people.”

“Then why stay?”

“Because I like it here?” Ryan said, that same genuine childlike confusion in his voice. Like the answer should have been obvious.

Jack huffed and just went more forward into the cave, going back to ignoring Ryan because it was easier. By now they were pretty far deep, the torch the only source of light, flickering on the walls.

“What is your problem?!” Ryan finally snapped, voice echoing through the cave.

“My problem is that you’re dangerous. And I don’t trust you anywhere near my family. I don’t know what your intentions are here and I don’t want you near them.”

“Dangerous?! What you think I want to just go full murder rampage and kill everyone here? I’ve been here for weeks! If I wanted anyone dead, they’d be dead by now!”

Jack flinched back as is stricken. He stared at Ryan in shock for a moment, feeling all his fears justified. Even just by saying he could kill someone he loved. 

“Jack, wait that’s not-“ Ryan started to back peddle, but Jack was hearing none of it. He turned around and started to head back out the cave. Mining be damned.

Groans chose then to start echoing through the cave. They weren’t alone. Somewhere in their yelling, zombies were alerted that they were there and were now making their way towards them. Jack and Ryan spared one glance at each other then started running out of the mine.

However zombies appeared right in front of them, blocking the exit. Ryan ran ahead of Jack, sword in hand as he started to take them out. Jack took out his own sword and started hacking away. Jack was crude, lacking any flair of attack that Ryan had as Ryan danced around the zombies. But Jack was still able to take a few of them out. The zombies just kept coming though. Coming out of the dark of the caves in a seemingly endless drove.

“We need to just get out of here!” Ryan said through the fighting.

“No fucking shit!” Jack snapped, swinging his sword down on a zombie’s head.

“Just clear in front of you, I’ll guard your back.”

“Like fucking hell I’m going to let you stab me in the back, you motherfucking murderer!”

“I’m not a murderer!" 

“Then what are you running from?! Probably from murdering a bunch of people so you could do it again!”

“I’m not a fucking murderer! Stop fucking saying that!” 

“We both know that’s a lie!”

They were starting to push through the zombies despite their bickering and soon could see the entrance. Jack focused just ahead of him, forcing the zombies back and paving away closer and closer to the light of day. 

“Jack!” 

He heard Ryan scream behind him and turned around just in time to see a skeleton shooting an arrow straight towards him. He screamed and raised his hands and waited for the painful blow of an arrow hitting him.

But it never came. 

Instead, Jack opened his eyes to Ryan standing right in front of him, facing him, eyes wide, and an arrow sticking out of his back.

“Ryan…” Jack said in a rush of air as he lets go of the breath he was holding.

Ryan opened his mouth to say something, but another arrow hit him on his side, and he collapsed into Jack. Jack dropped everything, grabbed Ryan by the waist and dragged him out. Another arrow whizzed above their heads, Jack half ran out of the cave and threw them into the sunlight. He stopped just to the side of the cave, groans rattled the cave but didn’t follow them out. None of the creatures of the dark can come out into the sun. They were safe.

Expect Ryan was bleeding out next to him, blood pooling from the arrows. Arrows he willingly put himself in front of.

“Ryan why did you do that?” Jack said as he knelt next to Ryan just outside the mouth of the cave. “Why did you take that arrow for me?” Now Jack was the one with the genuine, childlike confusion. 

“Because even if you hate me, I like you Jack. You’re nice. And you care so much about the others. And I just. They can’t loose you Jack. You’re a much better person than I.”

“Ryan that’s not… I don’t…” Jack was at a lost for words, not sure what to say as his whole image of Ryan comes crumbling down. He wasn’t this murderer out to get everyone that Jack had so easily painted. Ryan had the opportunity to hurt him without doing anything himself. And instead Ryan protected him with his own body.

“Jack,” Ryan said, as his breathing became more labored. “I’m sorry for everything. I just wanted to get along. I just. I like you Jack. I like you a lot and I’m sorry,” he said through a voice choking with tears.

“Let’s just get you back,” Jack said, trying to jump into action. “We need to get you back, you’re going to be fine Ryan. We… we can heal this.” With that Jack very carefully picked Ryan up, slung Ryan’s arm over his shoulder, and started back to Achievement City.

“You were right that I was running away from something,” Ryan continued through pained breaths.

Jack tried to shush Ryan, telling him to conserve his strength but Ryan just continued talking. “I was a prince, if you believe it,” Ryan gave a pathetic chuckle. “Kingdom fell on hard times, there were revolts, and I had to run. I just kept running… I left everyone behind so just survive. And I found you guys. I’m glad I found you guys.”

Ryan paused and for a second Jack thought he had passed out in his arms. But then Ryan gave a weak cough and continued. “I haven’t told any of the others this. Don’t tell them ok? They don’t need to know I was a prince. Not yet.”

“Ok, I won’t,” Jack said, not sure why he was promising to keep his secret, but he was. By now they could see the city. Ryan gave a slight nod. And passed out.

“Ryan?” Jack’s worried voice said as they entered the city and he tried to shake Ryan awake again. “Ryan!" 

The others heard Jack and came out running. Jack let them take Ryan to one of the houses and stood there, shaking, watching them. Geoff stayed with Jack, asking what happened over and over until Jack was finally able to talk and tell him. Jack cried against Geoff, telling again and again how he was sorry. Sorry that Ryan got hurt for him. Geoff comforted Jack, telling him over and over Ryan was going to be fine. They were going to be fine. 

Ryan didn’t wake up until the next day. The arrows had fortunately missed any vital organs and Ryan’s spine. He was patched up quickly by Geoff and given a multitude of healing potions from Ray. Jack stayed out of the way for a long time as everyone gushed over Ryan after he woke up. It wasn’t until much later in the night that Jack was able to bring himself to go to Ryan and talk to him.

“I’m sorry,” was the first thing Jack said to him as he entered the room.

Ryan opened his mouth to retort but Jack raised his hand.

“I was rude to you and I jumped to a lot of conclusions, all of which were unfair. Part of it was just that I was worried about everyone else. We’ve been living together for so long, having strangers come it is just… I worry too much about these guys; I want to look out for them. But even more than just looking out for them, I was jealous.”

“I was jealous because you got so close to everyone so fast. You can spar with Michael much better than any of us can. You knew potions like Ray, which, hell I didn’t even know Ray knew about that stuff. Gavin befriended you faster than he befriended anyone else, which I should’ve taken more as a sign for improvement for him than anything else, but I just took it all as warning signs about something that wasn’t even there. Even Geoff got close to you and defended you and I just. I couldn’t stand it so I took it out on you. So, I’m sorry Ryan, you deserved better and I see that now.”

Jack finished with a sigh and the room filled with silence, hovering between the pair. Ryan stared at Jack, shocked at the whole confession.

“I… thank you Jack,” Ryan finally stammered out, breaking the silence. “For telling me everything. I’m sorry for making you feel jealous, I promise I have no ill intentions here.” 

“I know. Just, I’m not expecting you to forgive me, but I’m hoping maybe we could start over again?”

Ryan smiled and gave a soft chuckle. “Well we don’t have to start completely over. Maybe just from the part where you started to hate me.”

Jack chuckled in return. “Sure, lets start from there.”

**Author's Note:**

> Don't hesitate to say hello on my tumblr: shadeofazmeinya.tumblr.com !! This prompt was so much fun to write I decided to post it here. 
> 
> This piece dedicated to the song 'You're the One That I Want' cover by Lo-Fang not because that song has anything to do with this but because thats what I listened to on repeat nearly the entire time I was writing this.


End file.
